97 Per Cent ASEAN Roadmap Touch Points Achieved

MELAKA, March 28 (Bernama) -- Ninety-seven per cent of the 339 touch points for the implementation of the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) has been achieved, said Tourism and Culture Ministry secretary-general, Dr Ong Hong Peng. He said the remaining three per cent for the implementation of the plan, aimed at strengthening the ASEAN community, is expected to be completed by year-end. After all the touch points are reached, the ASEAN Socio-cultural Community Council (ASCC) will be able to begin implementation of the Community ASCC 2015 plan, a 10-year strategic plan to empower the ASEAN community. "This year is very important because Malaysia is the chairman of ASEAN and has to play a holistic role in ensuring the plan (Roadmap for an ASEAN Community) is achieved," he told Bernama here. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 13th ASCC Conference chaired by Malaysia which ended Friday, participated by representatives from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The 13th ASCC meeting was chaired by Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz. ASCC community building is one of the core Summit Declaration in respect to the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community signed at the 14th ASEAN Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand in 2009. Ong said as the chairman of ASEAN, Malaysia will provide a significant contribution to ASEAN member countries for determining the direction ASEAN will take and its vision for the next 10 years, especially after the completion of the Roadmap. He said among the issues to be highlighted, Malaysia as the chairman of ASEAN will emphasise on how to implement the existing blueprints and discussing global issues including climate change and disaster management. "Malaysia needs to ensure that the responsibilities given can be shouldered in an inclusive, dynamic and consistent manner for the benefit of member countries in line with the spirit of ASEAN," he said. -- BERNAMA